Changing Lanes
by Calenmiriel
Summary: When Draco's placed into Gryffindor on his return to Hogwarts, arguments, secrets and betrayal all lie ahead for the students and with the final battle fast approaching, it's time for people to decide which side they're on. DM/HP. Set after OOTP.
1. Returning Home

**Author's Note:**_ This may be rather long, so feel free to skip this entirely and get to the actual story. But hello! Remember me? The last chapter of this story had been uploaded more than a year ago and, since then, a lot has happen in my life which caused me to become rather sidetracked. However, I have since gained an interest in Harry Potter once more after visiting the Studio Tour in London this week. I have read through the entire story and winced due to the amount of gramatical errors and how OOC (out of character) many of the people in this story have been, so I have re-written it and uploaded it once more for the benefit of those who wish to continue reading._

_Please note, that the Malfoy family may seem rather OOC. This will all be explained later on in the story. Please Review, and apart from that, enjoy!_

* * *

_Changing Lanes:_ Chapter One.

It was a cold, dark night in the middle of August. Not a sound could be heard, the trees stood still as the wind ceased to exist. All but one light had been turned off, as the owners of the houses turned in for the night. The house with the light, which gleamed as bright as a star in the darkness, had been left on for a boy. He would be classed as an average boy, to anyone who couldn't do magic. He had jet Black hair that would never stay flat, and emerald green eyes that held too many stories; too many secrets. Of course, the strangest thing of all about the young boy was a scar on the top left side of his forehead, shaped like a lightning bolt.

Harry Potter, his name is, and he certainly isn't an average human. Those green eyes had seen horrific things. With his scar, like many, telling a story. A more powerful one that no words would ever be able to tell. For his age, sixteen years and one month to be exact, he was startling thin. Harry's guardians, if they could even be called that, didn't feed him as well as they could've, as the boys cousin Dudley got most of the food. Harry lived with his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and said cousin. They were the only blood family he had left, as his parents were killed when he was a baby. He did have two other family members though, two godfathers. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. Harry would live with them at seventeen, when he no longer had the trace on him.

The trace Detects magical activity around underage witches and wizards. It alerts the Improper Use of Magic Office within the Ministry Of Magic to the spell what was used and to the location of the caster and the time. Harry himself had gotten into trouble with it. So, if you hadn't of guessed, Harry Potter is a wizard. One with a great responsibility. At the current time, however, said responsibility had been forgotten. Sleeping peacefully, Harry didn't have to worry about a thing.

Seven hours later, the green eyed boy awoke from his dreamless slumber. As he blinked, the cloudiness left his eyes and he slowly sat up. He grabbed his glasses off the table and looked around his room. It wasn't big, but it's not small either. The walls were a pale blue colour, with a set of brown oak draws next to his bed. The wardrobe was next to the door, and there was a Gryffindor Quidditch banner on the wall. It wasn't much, but it was better than the cupboard under the stairs. With slight reluctance, Harry made his way downstairs. His uncle and cousin were watching the news, whilst his aunt was making something that resembled dinner. Harry had gone for a nap, mainly because he had a raging headache. Upon his entrance, however, Petunia shoved the spatula at Harry, motioned to the pan and told him to "get on with it". With a sigh, he got to work.

Around half an hour later, a loud knock on the door was heard and once opened, a large man with a huge beard appeared. He was around 8 foot tall and three times the size of an average man, with a long brown cloak on and a thick belt around his middle.

"Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed, attacking him with a hug.

His aunt, uncle and cousin had promptly left the house, pushing past the larger man and piling into the car, before screeching out of the drive way and down the road, leaving their half eaten dinners' behind them. With a silent chuckle, Harry excused himself and ran upstairs to collect his trunk. He needed it for his trip to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he studied as he would be going there this September. Before that though, he would be going to Grimmauld Place where he would meet the Weasleys and his godfathers. Hagrid would take him there, before heading back to Hogwarts where he continued his role of gamekeeper.

Once he collected the trunk, he ran back down the stairs to find Hagrid staring at the pictures on the wall, wonder evident on his features. Unlike wizard photographs, non-wizard (Muggle) pictures don't move. Before he could tell Hagrid this, though, the large man turned around and yet out a yelp of surprise.

"Blimey 'Arry! Gave me a fright," The overly large wizard stated, putting his hand on his chest for emphasis.

"Sorry, Hagrid, are we ready to go?"

Nodding his head, he made for the door, nearly hitting his head on the way out. Harry silently followed him, before placing himself in the side cart of Hagrids motorbike. He place Hedwig, his snowy white owl, in front of him, making the small area even smaller. The owner climbed onto the actual motorbike itself, before turning to see if Harry was ready. With a small nod, they set off into the night.

They flew over London, which is a breath taking sight at night, with Big Ben and the London Eye lit up, along with the street lamps and the headlights of cars. Muggle's were walking in the streets below, and the Thames River glistened under the Full Moon. Hagrid made a sharp turn and crossed the river, before pressing a button that caused fire to come from the exhaust and the speed they were going at to triple. Harry gripped the window in front of him as hard as he could, and he screwed his eyes shut as the pressure built up. The flame only lasted a few minutes before it ran out of power and it went back to normal speed. However, by this time, they had reached their destination. Harry climbed out of the side car and ran towards the house, which had recently become visible. Knocking on the door, he shifted on the balls of his feet nervously. He hadn't seen the Weasleys and his godfathers for more than 4 months, so he was anxious to find out if anything had changed.

His thoughts were interrupted though, when a tall woman with red hair opened the door. She had a slightly large waist, and her clothes were rather ragged. She had a bright smile on her face, though, which immediately made Harry feel welcome and forget about his worries. He was soon scooped up into a hug, and he could hear Hagrid chuckle behind him. Gently prying himself away from Mrs Weasley, he headed into the house and into the kitchen. He spotted Sirius at the high end of the table, with the Weasley twins next to him. Next to them was Ron, his best friend, and opposite her brother was Ginny. Sirius looked up to the door and saw Harry standing there, and he plastered on the biggest smile he could manage.

"Harry, my boy! How have you been?" The older man asked, bringing Harry into a hug rather like the one Mrs Weasley had given him.

"I've been great, Sirius, where's Remus?"

Sirius' features lost their brightness and his smile fell. He nodded towards the window and Harry saw the full moon, momentarily scolding himself for forgetting. By the look on everyone's faces, something seemed to be different today.

"Remus hasn't had his Wolfsbane potion, Harry. He's in for a rough night," his godfather told him, obviously seeing the confusion on the young boys face.

Wolfsbane potion allowed the werewolf drinking it to stay sane during his transformations. Remus had used it whilst he was a professor at Hogwarts. This would allow him to curl up into his study and sleep, instead of ripping his body apart. Sirius looked towards the door Harry had entered through, sadness and guilt evident on his face. He would normally turn into Padfoot and keep Remus, whose animagus name is Moony, in check during his transformations. However, today he had to stay with Harry because the students of Hogwarts had a surprise waiting for them, and it was his job to tell them.

"Harry, come sit down a second. I need to talk to you and the others," Sirius trailed off, nervously twirling his thumbs.

Dumbstruck, Harry sat down next to Ginny, who winked at him. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, he turned towards his Godfather who was sitting at the high point of the table again.

"Okay, when you go back to Hogwarts this year, things are going to be a little... Different," he sighed. "Upon your arrival, after the first years have been sorted, you shall be called up to the Sorting Hat once again, to be re-sorted."

Gasps of shock came from everyone around the table, including the adults who seemed to only just be finding out along with the children. Ron looked like he was about to cry, and Fred and George looked furious. Ginny just looked pale.

"But Sirius, surely that can't be right? I mean, once a Gryffindor, always a Gryffindor." Harry said, earning nods of agreement from the other people at the table.

"I know Harry, but Dumbledore himself has said that this must occur. I don't doubt for a second that any of you will be changed into a different house, though. I mean, I can't imagine any of you in Slytherin or Hufflepuff." The older man chuckled.

This, Harry could agree with. Hermione, however, he couldn't help but shake the horrible feeling that she would be sorted into Ravenclaw, as no one in Gryffindor could match her intelligence and she had always felt rather left out. The only other person in the year as smart as her, Draco Malfoy was in Slytherin and the bushy haired girl just doesn't belong there. He and Ron would stay in Gryffindor; he couldn't help but remember pulling the sword out of the Sorting Hat, therefore meaning he was a true Gryffindor, as the sword otherwise wouldn't present itself. He was excused from the table, well aware of the eyes that followed his every footstep, and made his way up to his bedroom, which was next to Sirius'. Nothing had changed in there much, it was a lot bigger than his bedroom back at the Dursleys, and it was a greyish colour rather than blue. A huge four poster bed stood in the middle of the room, with a black rug to its left. A chest of draws lay in front of the bed, and there were posters of Harry's favourite bands, movie stars and wizards/witches. The wardrobe was on the opposite side of the room. The raven haired boy let out a sigh and allowed a smile to appear on his face.

It was good to be home.

* * *

Downstairs, Sirius was talking to the others about the revelation. George and Ginny looked rather angry, Fred looked sick and Ron looked pale. It was true what the heir to the house of Black said, it was highly unlikely that any of the Weasley's and Harry would change house. Although, he did think of one person in Slytherin who may be placed somewhere else.

"Hey, here's a thought, imagine Malfoy being put in Hufflepuff."

One of the twins spoke, obviously trying to get rid of the tension. It worked, and the comment was greeted with a laugh from everyone.

"Or even worse, Gryffindor."

This time Ginny spoke, and the table fell silent again. The very thought of the platinum blonde boy being placed into their house seemed to make everyone's skin crawl. Sirius decided it would be best to keep his thoughts to himself. A loud howl sounded and everyone once again jumped, the clock had struck Midnight and the transformation into Moony had begun for Remus. When everyone awoke the next morning, the werewolf would look the worst they've ever seen him. Sirius could only hope he made it through the night without doing serious damage.

* * *

Back upstairs, Harry had begun to fall into a sleep plagued by nightmares. They had been getting more frequent in these past few weeks and incredibly more painful. They varied in what happened, sometimes he was the person in the dreams and other times not. This one, though, seemed to be both.

_He was in a dark room that only had one window. The darkness, however, told Harry that it was late at night for the only bright light in the sky was from the moon. A blonde haired man entered the room, shaking with fear. His long hair and Green robes told Harry that this was in-fact Lucius Malfoy, Voldemort's right hand man. He came over to where he was standing and bowed slightly which told the black haired boy that he was in fact the Dark Lord in this nightmare._

_"You called, m-my Lord?" The younger man stuttered, avoiding the others eyes._

_"I have been informed, Lucius, that young Draco is yet to perform a correct Cruciatus curse, is this correct?" The wizard hissed, his voice cutting like a dagger._

_Lucius seemed unsure of what to say and hesitated, which was an obvious mistake. The Dark Lord muttered said curse and the elder Malfoy was thrown to the floor, twisting and crying out in agony. Voldemort didn't stop there, though, and carried on for another few minutes. When he finally lifted the curse, Lucius took his time before stumbling back to his feet and nodding, answering his master's question. Harry noticed that Malfoy had fear in his eyes, although it was not the same that was there at the beginning. The Dark Lord called for Draco, and he appeared almost immediately. He turned to look at his father and shock covered his features. He looked torn, as if he didn't know whether to go over to him or not._

_"Draco, it appears you are in need of practice in a certain spell. Your father here needs to be punished for withholding information from me, and why not have you do it? You know the words, Draco. Do it, or face the consequences."_

_Malfoy Junior flinched at the cold voice and walked over to his father, legs shaking and breath ragged. He stood in front of him a held his wand at arm's length, staring into his father's Grey eyes. A silent apology was shared between them, and Draco muttered the curse. Nothing happened. He tried again and again, but there was no change. He turned to the Dark wizard and fear flashed in his eyes, the same as his fathers. Voldemort glared at the boy._

_"Crucio," he murmured calmly and clearly, grinning slightly as Draco fell to the floor and screamed._

_Lucius looked over at his son with a look of pure concern, which made Harry wonder if everything he thought about the older Malfoy was true. He quickly pushed that thought aside, though, and firmly reminded himself that he was a cold-hearted bastard. He was brought back to his nightmare though when Draco screamed again, his body twisting at odd angles. Voldemort lifted the spell, but it appeared he was not done yet. He raised his wand and muttered 'Exurere' and to Lucius' and Harry's horror, the blonde haired boy's body caught fire. He rolled around on the floor in agony, screaming out for his mother and father to help him. Lucius reached for him, yelling his name, but as soon as he touched his son his hand turned to burnt flesh. Draco, however, didn't have a mark on him as it appeared that the curse only made one feel like their body was on fire. The deformed wizard stopped the curse, turned around, and left. The last thing Harry saw before waking up was the body of Draco Malfoy, his body still jerking in pain._

Harry awoke with a sharp gasp. He cast a 'Tempus' charm and saw that the time was now 6:30am, and he was one hundred percent certain that no matter how hard he tried, he would not be getting any more sleep. He swung his legs over the side of his bed, grabbed his glasses and made his way downstairs. The whole house was eerily quiet, and Harry couldn't help but feel a little nervous. He made his way into the kitchen and saw the figure of his second god-father sitting at the head of the table.

"Remus.." Harry managed to mutter, before walking over to the older man and taking the cloth from his hands.

The werewolf was a horrific sight. He has multiple wounds across his body, where the wolf's claws had ripped his clothes apart. A huge, jagged cut ran across the whole of his face, starting at the top left of his forehead and ending at the bottom right of his neck. There were several, smaller cuts above and below it. His hair was matted with his own blood and his hands were shaking, trying to take the cloth back from Harry. He had bruises over his arms, legs, face and chest. The green eyed boy had to fight the urge to cry, for he had never seen someone as bad as this.

"Harry... Harry I'm fine... I can manage this; you should go back to bed. You shouldn't see me like this, I'm a mess..." Remus trailed off, trying once again to take the blood stained cloth away from Harry.

The boy continued to wipe away the blood from the wounds, before casting 'Mederi'. The wound began to slowly heal, leaving behind scars that would be stuck with him forever. The bruises stayed. Harry sighed and sat down, staring intently at his god-father. Remus seemed intent on avoiding his eyes, though. They both turned at the noise of footsteps coming down the stairs, and the figure of Sirius came into view. He gasped, in the same way that Harry had, before walking swiftly across the room to Remus. He looked at him for a full 10 seconds, before leaning down and hugging him as gently as he possibly could. The werewolf returned and sighed into his nightclothes, eyes falling shut. Harry couldn't help but wonder why Snape hadn't prepared any Wolfsbane potion for the brown haired man, and made a mental note to question someone about that matter in the near future. Sirius and Remus stopped hugging and Sirius sat in the chair next to Harry, a small sigh escaping partially open lips.

They had some explaining to do.

* * *

Severus Snape sat in the office of Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Albus had called him into his office regarding the matter of a certain pupil. He looked around his large, but cosy, room and the chair he was currently sat in. Red and Gold were the main colours in the room. Gryffindor until the end, Snape noted, unable to hide the slight sneer at the colour scheme. Dumbledore walked through his door and sat in the chair opposite the potions master, a grave frown on his face.

"Draco is to receive the Dark Mark." Dumbledore stated bluntly, which caused Snape to feel slighty taken aback.

"That is correct, within the next few weeks. Unless there are," he paused. "Complications." Snape drawled, momentarily observing their surroundings. His face held confusion at why the old wizard had said such a thing, but his thoughts were answered soon enough.

"I know what is intended to happen; Voldemort has given Draco the mission to kill me. Correct?" Snape nodded. "Good. I must say this makes things a lot easier than first thought. Now, do you know when this is set to happen?" Snape shook his head, determined not to say anything - although, he wasn't surprised Dumbledore had known about the Dark Lord's plans. He seemed to know everything, before anyone had the chance to reveal the hidden secrets.

Dumbledore sighed and reached over to his desk to collect a Lemon Drop. Draco would have to kill him and then live with it for the rest of his life, and as far as Albus was concerned, he would do anything to stop that from happening. He was also very much aware of the fact that Severus had made an Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother. If the boy could not kill him, then Snape would. Dumbledore was not entirely bothered about dying; true, he didn't necessarily want to die, but he would not be afraid when the time came. He turned back to Severus and saw emotion coming through his usual cold mask, slowly allowing Dumbledore to assess how he truly felt. He sighed and looked into his former students eyes, black and so different from his own.

* * *

Sirius sighed as he looked at his godson, obviously curious. Harry would want answers, and Sirius did not think he needed to know. Looking at him, though, he was too brave and too... Gryffindor for his age. He felt slightly proud.

"Snape hasn't made my potion, as I'm sure you've guessed. We do not know why, and we have asked for him to explain. However, he seems intent on avoiding every member of the Order. Whether or not he will have the Wolfsbane for my next transformation is unknown, though I cannot ask you enough not to worry about it. It's really not as bad as it looks," Remus told him, his voice gentle and carrying several emotions. Pain, sadness, anger. Harry felt shocked but the last one; although he knew asking Lupin about it would prove useless. Sirius seemed to feel the same, for he looked at Remus and attempted to say something. He was shot down with a look that the werewolf barley used on anyone. The scarred man sighed and stood up, although his body protested violently and he was nearly sick, hands trembling from the pain that still raced through him. Sirius rushed to his side and held him up, ignoring Lupin's hands trying to get the other man off him, and helped him back up the stairs once giving a look at Harry that told him they'd talk later, before motioning for the young Wizard to get prepared for the day. Begrudgingly, Harry trudged up after them and entered his bedroom.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy never cried. He wouldn't let that emotion slip through the mask he had been building up for years on end. His heart was breaking but he'd never let that show, it would make him weak. If there was one thing Malfoy's were not, it was weak. He crawled over to his son and grabbed his hand, once again burning the flesh; but this time he didn't let it go. His body was twitching and the tear tracks than ran down his face washed away the ash and soot that had covered his usually porcelain features. He cast multiple healing spells and when Draco finally began to awake, he looked straight at his father, with eyes so familiar to his own.

"F-father... M'sorry, so sorry," He mumbled, and Lucius' mask was slipping. Control yourself, he scolded himself. He lifted his sons head into his lap and begun wiping his face with a cloth he had since required.

"Draco, you have nothing to be sorry for. It was I who stood by and done nothing, it is I who nearly got you killed..." The elder Malfoy mumbled, his eyes never leaving his sons.

"No, no I-I was weak... I deserved to be punished," The broken boy choked out, his lungs gasping for the air around him. Lucius lifted his son and rubbed his back, continuing to remove the dirt from the scarred individual in his arms. For a moment, Lucius couldn't help but feel hatred directed at his own self; Lucius had corrupted Draco to the point that the other boy honestly believed pain and punishment could be the only options as the consequence for failure, something Lucius himself had grown up to believe. But he'd wanted things to be different for Draco; so, so different.  
"Draco, my boy, never think that. What he done to you, no one deserves it. If I'd have done something I fear I would make it worse for you, and for that I apologise."

Grey eyes met Grey and for the first time in six years, Draco hugged his father. Because right now he wasn't the broken one. The man he was hugging had lost everything, nearly having witnessed his son burn to death in front of him and was risking everything everyday for what he believed to be right. Although, unknown to Draco, his father hated what he done. He had believed it to be right, he believed that this was the winning side and therefore protect his family. He wanted to be on Potter's side, the side that wouldn't Crucio his son and proceed to burn him, or torture his wife for not taking a mark that meant nothing but slavery to a creature so dark Satan was turning in his grave. Lucius wrapped his arms around Draco and the first few tears fell from his eyes, falling onto the boy below him. They never stopped and he could faintly feel his son shaking beneath him. He pulled back from Draco's embrace and held his shoulders, looking at him.

"Everything will work out, Draco. I will make sure you and your mother are safe from harm, something that is long overdue." Lucius made his son look at him and wrapped his arms around Draco once more.

It really didn't matter that they would have to face everything all over again soon. Or that they would most likely be punished for taking so long. His mother was probably worried sick about them and they had to get back.

But that was irrelevant.

Because in the middle of that cold room, two broken men; father and son, had each other.

* * *

Once Harry was in his bedroom, he flopped on the bed. He didn't stay there long, though, as he had to go and get ready for the day ahead. He opened his wardrobe and picked out a dark green shirt with faded blue jeans. _How Slytherin,_ he thought. Never the less, he showered and got dressed. Once again he made his way downstairs, where Ron and Ginny were sat at the table; eating breakfast. Harry walked over to them and sat next to Ginny, who smiled warmly at him. Smiling back, he turned his attention to his best friend. He was staring at him, and Potter could only guess that it was his clothes. He asked anyway, though.

"Uh... Ron? Is there something wrong?"

"Green. You're wearing a Slytherin colour, you know?" The Ginger boy stated the obvious, looking at Harry's clothes with a look of disgust. Harry sighed and shook his head; does that mean my eyes are a Slytherin colour, too? He mentally snarled. Ginny looked him up and down and he shifted in his seat.

"I think Harry looks handsome in Green, matches his eyes after all."

Ginny Weasley was known for her crush on the Boy-Who-Lived. She had developed this when she first saw him at Kings Cross Station when Harry first started. Ever since then, she has been trying to get his attention in any way possible. Whether it be complementing him, brushing his hand or arm or simple winking at him. Harry thought she was beautiful, but did he like her in that way? He didn't know. He smiled at her in a way of thanks, and she went back to eating her food.

* * *

Narcissa Malfoy sat in the bedroom she shared with her husband; staring out of the window. Outside the house she could see Severus Snape pass the barrier into the Malfoy land. She sighed; remembering the previous night's events.

To say she was worried would be an understatement. Her son Draco and husband Lucius had been summoned by the Dark Lord, and they had both left one hour ago. She had heard nothing but screams since, and she could not convince herself that they didn't belong to one of them. She began pacing back and forth, when the door to her room opened. She suppressed a scream at the sight of her son, and quickly went over to help him.

"Oh my... Draco," she breathed softly, taking in the look of pain on Draco's face. She summoned two chairs and placed them on both sides of Lucius' and her bed. Gently placing his son on the bed, Lucius gracefully threw himself into one of the offered chairs. Narcissa followed suit, grabbing one of Draco's hands. She quickly released it with a yelp of pain, a questionabble look masking her features. Looking to her husband, he told her everything that had happened.

She hadn't slept at all, whereas her husband and son were still knocked out on the other side of the room. She sighed and walked out of her door and down the stairs. Standing in the entrance of Malfoy Manor stood Severus, looking as nervous as he felt. He quickly rushed to the younger woman, demanding to know where his godson was.

"Is he okay? Where is he, is he badly hurt?" He trailed off, trying to look past the blonde woman.

"Severus, calm down. He's in Lucius' room."

They walked along the cold hallways and up the grey stairs, before finally reaching the bedroom. When they entered, Lucius and Draco were awake, talking quietly. Severus walked over to Draco and gave him a small pat on the back, trying to be as gentle as possible. Draco sighed and leaned into his godfather's hand, glad to feel the warmth - regardless of it being on such a small area. Severus barley ever showed this side of him, as it was reserved for family and close friends only, and once upon a time Lily. A small gesture such as the pat Draco had received wouldn't seem like much to the average person, but for Snape it said so much about his attitude. Snape pulled away and looked at the youngest of the four in the room. He checked his body for any sign of injury, and found nothing. He turned to Lucius for an explanation.

"He used the Cruciatus Curse, then another spell I haven't heard of. He flicked his wand to the left, before firing straight at Draco. The spell was something known as Exurere."

Snape paled. This was ancient, dark magic. It was a spell that was only rumoured to exist, as there were no records of it. There were no known side effects, although the pain frequently made people go insane. It was said to be ten times worse than the torture curse, itself.

"Exurere means to burn," the black haired man started. "It has never been used before, and there is no record of the spell ever being created. It is rumoured to have been created by Salazar Slytherin himself, and the spell's first victim being Godric Gryffindor. It may have been the reason for the house division, as blood status seems something pathetic for four founders to fall out over."

The room fell silent and the Malfoy's all moved closer together. If the Dark Lord has really managed to use this spell, Severus thought, we are all in grave danger.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore, for the first time in his long life, felt worried. He had always been in control, for example at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, when he had duelled Voldemort in order to keep Harry and the rest of the Wizarding World safe. Although it didn't go to plan, the Ministry for Magic finally accepted that the Dark Lord had returned. Shuddering, Dumbledore remember how to scene unfolded.

_The members of the Order the Phoenix, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Alastor Moody, Sirius Black and Kingsley Shacklebolt, appeared in flashes of white light which attacked the Death Eaters black. Dumbledore could see Tonks duelling Bellatrix on the rows of seats, minutes before she had sent a stunning curse at Lucius Malfoy, allowing Harry to escape. Remus Lupin was duelling an unknown follower of Voldemort, although the battle ended quickly when Lupin shot a curse at the masked man and he went flying into the Death Eater behind him, sending them both to the floor. He didn't stop though, as he found himself face to face with yet another masked face._

_Turning around, Albus saw that Tonks had been defeated by Bellatrix and Shacklebolt had been defeated by Dolohov. Both advanced towards Sirius and Harry, who were battling Lucius. Alastor cast a shield charm around them both when Bellatrix aimed the Cruciatus Curse at Harry. Dumbledore felt it was time to step in._

_Walking out from the shadows, he watched as Death Eaters moved out of his path and flee, determined not to duel the great wizard. He quickly pulled them back and cursed them, sending them flying into each other. He made his way to Malfoy and Sirius, but the battle stopped when Lord Voldemort appeared. Turning to take in the scene, the evil wizards' eyes stopped on Albus._

_"It was foolish for you to come here tonight, Tom. The ministry have been alerted and the Order are on their way," his calm voice didn't betray the emotion that he felt, and he faced Riddle; wand raised._

_"By which time, I will be gone, and you; will be dead," the Slytherin spoke just as calmly, his own arms rising. The smirk never left his face, even now._

_The battle that followed was one of the most dramatic and frightening any of the people in the room had seen. Voldemort's curse had since turned into a fire dragon, aiming right for Dumbledore. Albus cast a spell, however, that turned it into water. Making a ball, he thrust it at Voldemort and watched as he struggled to breathe. A loud crash caused the other occupants to turn around, only to see that Remus had tackled Dolohov to the floor. It appeared he had been sneaking up on Harry, who hadn't been suspecting the oncoming attack._

_"Get off me, you disgusting creature!" He growled, attempting to get Lupin off him. Remus, however, appeared to be out of control of his actions. He growled back, one that sounded scarily familiar to when he had changed. His teeth became sharper and he immediately became stronger, pinning Dolohov to the floor. Placing his hands around his neck, he began to push down until the other was red in the face. Sirius ran forward, grabbing his arms, pulling him away._

_"Remus, Remus let him go! Moony!" He shouted, trying to get him to release the Death Eater. Sure, Black didn't care if Antonin died, but what he did care about was the fact that Remus would never forgive himself if he had killed someone in cold blood. He seemed to have an effect on the werewolf, because even though he wasn't nearly as strong as Lupin like this, his voice seemed to be recognised and he released him. Standing up, Dolohov aimed the Killing Curse at Remus, which was quickly blocked by none other than Harry Potter himself._

_The battle was back in full blast with Lucius battling Tonks. Hermione, Neville and Luna were duelling Walden Macnair and Luna, Ron and Harry were duelling Bellatrix. Remus was back to duelling Dolohov. Voldemort threw a small object at Dumbledore and then, without warning, he disappeared. He could still see what was happening, but he knew to everyone else he was invisible and powerless to do anything. Sirius, Kingsley and Alastor had all begun duelling Voldemort, all three of them not strong enough to destroy or defeat him but enough to keep him busy. Remus had defeated Dolohov and joined the effort against the ringleader of the Death Eaters. Meanwhile, Tonks defeated Lucius and helped Luna and the others bring down Bellatrix._

_After being like this for around ten minutes, Voldemort dissaparated. His followers followed suit, and the relief was evident on everyone's faces. Looking around, there were only three people who had come out of this unscathed. Harry, Dumbledore, and Lupin. Tonks had deep cuts on her face, Alastor seemed to have injured his arm and his metal eye was missing, Kingsley had a broken leg and a shattered cheekbone and Sirius had a gash in his side, which was spilling blood; quickly._

He didn't know what happened next, though, for everyone dissaparated.

Ever since then, he hasn't heard from anyone but Sirius, to whom he told the news of the re-sorting Sixth Years would have. The Sorting Hat had announced it earlier to him, and he was shocked to say the least. However, this hat was created by the founders and it had to be done. He had in mind some people who would be moved, some would prove to be a good choice whilst the others would have a hard time. There would be new and old teachers this year, some would be pleased and others would be upset. It wasn't as though he wanted it to be like this, though.

* * *

Harry had finished his food and went outside to get some air. He loved his family, he really did - sometimes it just got too much, though. He couldn't wait to return to Hogwarts, regardless of the re-sorting waiting for him. It would be nice to be around familiar, yet different, people. The school was such an amazing place to be, and nothing could hurt him there. Sure, Grimmauld Place had more protection charms than he cared to count, but Hogwarts was just different. Everything was. His mind went back to his dream last night, as for the whole day the image of Malfoy screaming and crying had been stuck in his head since the minute he woke up. He couldn't help but wonder if he was ok, because even though he hated the bloke what he went through was disgusting and Harry was worried. What if he didn't make it? What happens next if he did? He had so many questions that couldn't be answered. He would have to wait until September, when he would return to school. He turned around and heard a shuffling noise behind him.

"Harry?" The voice of his godfather, Remus, called out. He seemed to have trouble walking and Harry rushed over to help.

"Come on, don't worry about me, we need to get your things from Diagon."

Harry gaped at the older man, trying to see if he was serious. By the look on his face he was. Harry tried to argue with him and say that he wasn't fit to leave the house, but Lupin was having none of it. Harry sighed, knowing he wouldn't win - he never did with Remus, it would seem. He was rather convincing when he needed to be, and most people seemed to follow his every order the Werewolf gave them. He had that power over people, apparently. Giving in, he followed Remus to the floo network. Lifting the green powder, he stated as clearly as he could:

"Diagon Alley."


	2. Revelations

**Author's Note:** _Second Chapter in two days, aren't you all lucky. Although, I won't update all Chapters as frequently as this, and some may take a few days - however I hope the wait will never become increasingly long. This chapter is short in order to make way for the next, which will be much longer. Once again, please review and if there's any mistakes please point them out. Enjoy!_

* * *

_Changing Lanes:_ Chapter Two

Diagon Alley was swimming with people bustling around to collect the items they had arrived for. Harry recognised a few people from Hogwarts and offered them a small wave, before falling back into the sea of people. Remus seemed to be hiding his inability to walk properly extremely well, and every now and then he looked next to him to make sure his godson was still there. the duo entered Florish and Blotts to collect his school books, where Remus bought him three new Defence Against the Dark Arts volumes – saying he would need them this year, although that was left at that.

Turning around to observe his surroundings, Harry once again caught sight of other members of Hogwarts; and momentarily wondered how many of them would be here, for the same reason he was. Smiling softly at the people he witnessed passing his own figure, Harry made to catch up with Remus, frowning upon realising he had no idea as to where the werewolf had turned to next.

Wandering around, Harry made sure to weave in and out of the people around him, apologising whenever he accidently brushed shoulders with another individual a little too hard, or almost walked into someone. It would seem that Harry wouldn't have to wait for Remus for long, for he soon appeared once leaving Quality Quidditch Supplies, a shrunken object being placed into his pocket. A knowing smile was all Harry received from the other man, before he was briskly walking off into the crowds; Harry once more struggling to maintain his pace.

Throughout the duration of a few hours, Remus had bought quills, ink, parchment and dress robes for Harry before they were finally ready to leave, their pockets full with shrunken items. Breathing a sigh of relief, Harry shot another smile in Remus' direction, and as Harry moved to speak, a loud scream echoed behind him, causing many individuals to turn around.

Harry expected a lot of things. Maybe a woman falling over, or a child protesting for not getting their own way; what he did not expect, however, was to find Diagon Alley in a complete state of panic. Many people were running as more screams could be heard, shoving and pushing past anyone who stood in their way, no longer having thoughts for anyone but themselves or their children – making sure they were safe.

Harry witnessed people fall to the floor and make a move to stand up again, only to be trampled on; this time, remaining unmoving. Harry's breath hitched in his throat as the scene seemed to freeze around him, his heart thudding wildly in his chest, colours blurring together. Turning to his left, Harry let out a small groan upon noticing his godfather's absence from his side once again, before taking off down the street.

He knew he had to be careful. Harry was not stupid, and he'd been in enough incidents that had nearly cost him his life because he hadn't been cautious enough. Smoke swirled around him from a fire nearby and Harry spared a thought for the people inside, knowing that he wouldn't have time to save them – even if he could get to them through the swarming bodies. Keeping his head ducked low, Harry manoeuvred through the crowds once more, eyes flicking towards the scene unfolding as he continued to observe the bodies for Remus, a slight panic rising inside him.

With a small sigh, Harry's hand moved towards the wand safely tucked away in his pocket, prepared to fight if necessary. Moving towards the thick of the chaos, Harry once again began searching – although, this time, it wasn't Remus he found. Staring blankly at the duo who ceased to acknowledge his presence and instead walked past him, not so much casting a glance in Harry's direction, Harry glared at their retreating figures; immediately setting off after them. It began difficult to keep up with them as Harry fought against the tide of people running in the opposite direction, but his determination shone through; his pace picking up as his feet thudded against the concrete of Diagon Alley.

With his wand gripped tightly between shaking fingers, Harry managed to close the distance between him and the figures enough to reach out and grab one of their arms, whirling them around – despite their sounds of protests. A shock of blonde hair greeted Harry and the snarl was already fixed in place, seemingly unwillingly to be removed any time soon.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Harry hissed, eyeing them both cautiously.

"Let go of me, Potter," Malfoy proceeded to smack Harry's hand away, before making sure his hood was still safely masking his features. For a moment, Harry was confused as to why they were trying so hard to conceal their identity, shooting a questioning gaze at the elder of the two.

"Where's your godfather, Mr. Potter? Shouldn't your attention be wasted on him and his… Safety?" Lucius snarled in reply, challenging Harry's cold glance with his own.

Upon hearing Lucius' tone, Harry paused, looking them both over once more. Deciding that they were no longer worth his time, he turned in the opposite direction and ran back towards the crowds, storing the information of the Malfoy's presence for another time; making note to talk to Sirius and Remus about it much later. Although, his confusion and anger had been spiked upon the knowledge that Lucius had once again escaped his fate at Azkaban; something else he would have to bring up with the others. He wanted answers, and he wanted them soon.

Glancing up once more, Harry continued to move through the multiple bodies – letting out a sigh of relief upon noticing Remus' figure, standing not too far away from him. Running towards his godfather, Harry didn't have the time to speak before Remus' hand was on his arm and they left the scene, the screams echoing behind them.

Harry forced down the bile threatening to rise when he finally met concrete once more, breathing in the cold air deeply, and steadying his breathing to the best of his ability. Momentarily pleased that he had come out in one piece, Harry shot a feeble glare in Remus' direction.

"Thanks for the warning. Would have been helpful," he muttered.

Remus, however, refused to spare him a glance and briskly walked towards the entrance of Grimmauld Place. The door opened and no sooner had Remus disappeared, that Harry was following after his retreating figure, sparing one final glance behind him at the bushes and trees surrounding the property. Sighing to himself, Harry ran a tired hand through his hair and entered the property, the door closing firmly behind him.

* * *

Severus Snape remained by the large, clouded window; observing nothing in particular, while remaining on high alert for anything that could be deemed suspicious. It had quickly become dark and the streets were illuminated by what little light the Muggles could offer them, but it sufficed, to a certain degree. Pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment, Snape allowed an agitated sigh to escape him, eyes fluttering closed as he awaited the arrival of his new-found guests. In the corner of the room stood a pale, petite frame; blonde locks flowing to the woman's shoulders, a streak of black accompanying them. Her dress was hidden by robes; however a clear amount of distress was noticeable on her porcelain features; regardless of her attempts of hiding them. Snape glanced at her once, before moving to the door, wand in hand.

Said guests had finally made an appearance, and – after stepping to the side to allow them entrance – Snape shut and locked the door, once making sure nobody had attempted to follow them. For a brief moment, nobody moved to say anything – the silence seeming so loud in their ears. Becoming impatient with the silence, Snape opened his mouth to ask a question to the Malfoy's, before being cut off rather suddenly.

"They knew," Draco had muttered, casting his glance to the floor. "The Death Eaters knew we were in Diagon."

Snape had to restrain himself from releasing the groan that threatened to escape, his annoyance clearly on show as he sat down in the chair behind him, motioning for the trio to do the same. Through his annoyance, Snape took note of the way the Malfoy's seemed to position themselves. Both Narcissa and Lucius had instinctively sat beside Draco; however there was space evident between them, not wanting to get too close to the other figures. And, as always, they managed to keep their flawless postures intact – save Draco.

"Upon our arrival, we made sure to stay completely hidden from view, as instructed," Draco continued, his gaze fixed on the hands stationed in his lap. "We managed to avoid being attacked when the chaos ensued, however we can only assume one of the Death Eaters had remained hidden in the shadows, masked from view – otherwise, the Dark Lord wouldn't have known we were there, thus not thinking to send more of them."

Snape nodded whenever it was due, although his mind was beginning to race with many other thoughts. All three Malfoy's had stayed the night at Snape's home, seemingly aware that they could no longer return to their own, the danger to their lives being too high. Although this accommodation would not suit them all for long, they each understood that it was necessary for survival if the Malfoy's remained hidden and under the protection of someone they could trust.

"And Potter saw us," Draco added, albeit much quieter than everything else he had mentioned, casting a wary glance towards his godfather.

Snape remained indifferent. All that would happen was that he had much explaining to do upon returning to Grimmauld Place, something he wasn't looking forward to, but not particularly anxious about, either. A small nod was all Draco gained in reply as Snape continued to contemplate what their next actions would be, before eventually settling on enlisting the help on a certain Order member – something that didn't appeal to him in the slightest.

"You will remain here until Draco's return to Hogwarts," Snape answered, his thick drawl evident as he cast a glance at each of them. "That means you will be unable to leave this location for the next three days, unless I specifically ask you to." All three Malfoy's nodded, although Lucius seemed to be refraining contradicting what Snape had said; out of all three Malfoy's, Snape knew and understood Lucius would be the hardest in terms of making them follow his orders and listen to him. The Death Eater had a mind of his own and – although they both knew Snape's interests were in helping his family – it made it no easier for Lucius to listen to him.

"What about the items I'll need? I received the list last week, and I need new robes, too. Understandably, my mother and father are unable to return to Diagon and the same concept applies to myself and Severus… So…" Draco left the statement hanging, although everyone knew what he was implying.

"We'll sort something out, Draco. You needn't worry about such things," Lucius reprimanded, shooting Draco a look that clearly told him that would be the end of that discussion. Draco immediately nodded and went back to his previous position of looking down at his hands, albeit a little awkwardly this time.

Everything returned to silence after that. Nobody moved to add to what Snape had said and remained lost in their own thoughts; although Snape caught Narcissa shooting glances in Draco's direction more than once, the only sign that she was worried about his wellbeing. Lucius remained still and calm, paying no attention to his wife or son, seemingly interested in one of the many books adorning the walls of Snape's home. Said man in question began to wonder if he could convince the people he had in mind to go to Diagon Alley on his behalf, without asking questions and instead following Snape's orders. The duo seemed to hold different… Beliefs than their family did, and although they had teased Malfoy throughout their stay at Hogwarts, neither had been particularly malicious towards him – that was, of course, unless Malfoy completely deserved it; which was more often than not.

"I have business to attend to. Anything you may need, you will be able to find. I'll be back within the hour," and, with that, Snape stood up and promptly left the accommodation, ignoring the protests from Draco and the glare he received from Lucius.

* * *

Sirius stared at Harry and Remus as they entered Grimmauld Place, seemingly wanting to mention something about their behaviour and instead deciding against it. Harry shot him a glance, offering a strained smile before turning his attention back to the occupants of the room instead, a small sigh escaping his lips. He wasn't in the mood to deal with the questions they would inevitably receive upon informing them all of the commotion back at Diagon Alley, although he also knew it would be inevitable to try and avoid it for much longer. Either he told them and dealt with their questions today, or he let the Daily Prophet inform them and deal with the anger from them all tomorrow. Deciding on the first, Harry cast a glance at them all before sighing softly.

"Diagon Alley was attacked," he mumbled, and immediately the voices rose from everyone in the room as they began to question what he'd said, panic influencing their tones. He allowed this to continue for a few moments before his headache became enhanced and he cast at Remus, a tired expression adorning his features.

"We do not know," Remus suddenly spoke, his voice much louder than them all and thus forcing them into silence, staring at the figure with interest as he continued to inform them all. "Who was responsible in the attack, for there were a number of Death Eaters present – although, I can only assume the Ministry has been informed," Remus sighed. "I am surprised the Ministry sent no help to Diagon, although I cannot see that aspect of this attack being addressed any time soon. In the meantime, the only Death Eaters we know were present were Malfoy and his father," Remus continued, glancing at the figures surrounding the room.

Ron, as usual whenever Malfoy was mentioned, looked a mixture between angry and disgusted. Hermione looked in thought, and Remus didn't spend too long thinking about what she might believe, before turning his attention to Sirius and the twins. Sirius mimicked Ron's expression while the twins remained… Knowing, but with wide smiles masking their features, seemingly amused by the whole concept of the two Malfoy's. Remus himself wished to know the real reason behind Lucius' escape from Azkaban, as he found it rather unlikely that Lucius would try and convince them he had been under the Imperius Curse once more, as he had done many years ago.

Patiently waiting for the commotion to once again die down, Remus placed himself in the chair stationed behind him, a hand rising to rub at his temples. He was, of course, still sore and in a great deal amount of pain as a result of his transformation; but he, as always, managed to hide this pain from the occupants of the room. He was slightly agitated and yet managed to remain calm, instead focusing on giving Harry and the others his full attention once more, with a mental note to take some of the pain reliving potion once alone.

"I, like you, have no idea in regards to Lucius' avoidance of imprisonment." Harry spoke, a hand running through his hair once more.

"He has connections, remember? Someone probably bailed him out, made some excuse up for him," Ginny offered, and it didn't sound too farfetched. Lucius was known for his connections to people and managing to constantly escape trouble. It seemed this was no different.

"If Draco's with the Death Eaters, does that mean You-Know-Who has marked him, then?"

Casting a glance at Ron, Harry sighed, preparing to answer. It was Sirius who spoke up, however.

"I can assume that indeed, Malfoy's been marked." He began, ignoring the glances from around the room. "Someone had to pay the price for Lucius' failure at the Department of Mysteries and Voldemort would deem it useful to have another Death Eater inside Hogwarts, for reasons yet unknown."

"So you think he'll be back at Hogwarts, then? His parents won't hold him back?" Harry asked.

Sirius nodded in reply. "I may not know much about Lucius, nor do I particularly wish to – but the Black family valued the importance of education very highly, and Narcissa would not allow Malfoy to remain out of school unless deemed… Necessary."

Everyone in the room nodded, although a groan could be heard in Ron's direction – who seemed displeased with the knowledge of Draco returning for their Sixth Year, as did Ginny and Hermione. Harry decided it would be best to remain silent about the vision he had the night before, as this would only put the attention on himself once more and that's something Harry didn't want to deal with at the present time.

The silence that followed was broken only by Snape's sudden appearance at the entrance of Grimmauld Place, his clothing soaked from the rain and his hair cloak still whirling around him. A simple drying charm was muttered as Snape stepped through the door, casting a rather cold glance at everyone in the room, before closing the door behind him and walking over to Harry.

"I can only assume you have… Informed them?"

For a moment, Harry could only nod, but when he went to question Snape's knowledge of the attack he was merely silenced by his own realisation. Snape was a Death Eater, and thus must have known what Voldemort had planned in the first place. Frowning at this, Harry instead took a step back and sat down, his mind trailing as thoughts stormed through his mind; seemingly only enhancing his headache that much more. Harry could hear Snape talking, and yet he paid him not attention; allowing his eyes to close momentarily as he tried to steady his rapid breathing, the sudden pain seeping through him. Unable to stop the groan of pain as his hand instinctively came to his forehead, Harry tried to focus on something in the distance; although he soon allowed the pain to take over once more.

"Harry? Harry, what's wrong?"

Hearing Hermione's voice had done little to calm Harry down as, soon enough, he was thrown in place of the one person of whom he didn't want to be with. Shaking his head, Harry fell backwards and onto the couch, small groans escaping him every now and then.

_Voldemort gazed around the table, his glance cold and hard as he surveyed the scene around him. Each of the Death Eaters cowered upon meeting Voldemort's fury, unspoken words between them revealing how their Master really felt about their current situation. Ever since the Malfoy's had escaped the Manor and seemingly Voldemort's side, the Dark Lord hadn't been too pleased with his followers; who deemed incapable of stopping them from leaving in the first place. _

"_It would appear you've returned… Empty handed."_

_Voldemort's voice cut through the silence like a knife through butter as his remaining followers shifted uncomfortably, seemingly determined to remain quiet under Voldemort's gaze – perhaps once again fearing for their lives. The Dark Lord was ruthless and his followers were all too aware of this fact. Once again nobody spoke and this only heightened Voldemort's anger, as his wand pointed towards the nearest Death Eater to him. _

"_Dolohov; I sent you to Diagon Alley with one simple task – to return the Malfoy's to me. Can you justify the reasons behind you deeming unable to do so?" Voldemort asked; his tone neutral and his voice calm as he observed the Death Eater. _

"_My Lord… Panic ensued an-"_

"_Did you not expect this?" Voldemort hissed. _

_Being cut off from his speaking made Dolohov's eyes widen by a margin, and he remained silent for a few moments, trying to regain his composure. Although, it seemed this would not be necessary, for Voldemort spoke up once more. _

"_You will pay for you incompetence, Dolohov." Voldemort tilted his head to the side, the sadistic smirk already reappearing. "Crucio."_

Harry's eyes snapped open, his breathing irregular as he forced himself back into a sitting position, thoughts swimming through his mind. Harry gasped, breathless, as he turned and accepted willingly a potion of which Snape had handed to him without so much as a hesitant glance. Sirius and Remus exchanged worried glances as the Weasley's all remained silent, Hermione studying Harry carefully. Although they were all clearly curious about Harry's vision, they all knew to remain silent and Harry was at least thankful for this. It took a mere few minutes for the potion to settle in enough that Harry could begin to think straight, forcing his eyes to remain open throughout the duration of his talking. What he wasn't prepared to do, however, was speak in front of Snape. The Potions Master caught on to this as, with one final glare at Harry and his accomplices, he turned towards the Weasley family. Or, more specifically, towards a certain pair of twins.

"A word."

Snape had uttered those two words before marching gracefully off towards the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, seemingly unbothered by the protests of Molly – the twins, however, willingly followed suit as they looked questioningly at one another, before George shrugged. They would find out in due time what Snape wanted, and instead he closed the door behind his twin, leaving them alone with their former Professor.

"He's angry," Harry muttered, the second the door closed. "He sent Dolohov and a few other Death Eaters to Diagon Alley because of the Malfoy's."

"Because of them? So they weren't with the Death Eaters, then? Attacking?"

Harry nodded at Ron's question. "He didn't say much. I can only assume the Malfoy's have left the Manor and Voldemort wants them to return to him. We can guess that the Malfoy's aren't willing to do so, as Voldemort could summon them himself – but instead he had to resort to sending Death Eaters after them."

"Why would they… Leave, though? Lucius is Voldemort's right hand man, regardless of recent events, he's still valued highly – it doesn't take a genius to figure as such. It doesn't make sense for them to just… Leave."

Shooting a glance at Hermione, Harry shrugged. He knew that he would have to reveal what he knew about Draco soon enough to the group, but that time wasn't now. He allowed them to continue to talk among themselves as he slowly slipped into a peaceful sleep, the scar still burning against his skin.

* * *

In the kitchen, the twins leaned against the door, remaining silent for the time being. Snape cast a simple Silencing Charm before turning to face the duo, a hard glare etched into his features. He passed them a list of things ranging from books to robes, and upon the twins looking at one another, Snape sneered at them both.

"I require these items. By tomorrow night. They are all accessible at Diagon Alley and," Snape threw them a pouch, which appeared to contain a large sum of coins. "That should cover the cost. Do not ask questions, and do not tell the others about what I have asked you to do. The sizes for the robes you will collect are here," Snape passed them another piece of parchment, with different sizes written in ink. "And made sure the robes for Hogwarts are that of Slytherin."

With a surprised glance towards Snape, the twins refrained from asking questions, instead nodding upon Snape finishing. There were many questions, naturally, that they wanted asking – however they both managed to stop themselves before the words let slip. Technically, they wouldn't be lying to their family about what they were doing so long as they refused to tell them in the first place, and it wouldn't take long for them both to collect whatever Snape needed. Diagon Alley would open as usual tomorrow, they could both assume, as Hogwarts was days away from opening and the shops couldn't afford to remain closed with the threat of danger looming over them all.

"I will return tomorrow to address the Order and to collect the items required."

With that, Snape lifted the spell and immediately left the presence of the twins, wondering if he'd made a mistake in asking them in the first place, and slightly disgusted that he had had to enlist their help in the first place. Of course, they weren't as against the Malfoy's as perhaps the other Weasley's were; but at the same time, neither knew exactly who required the items. Although, it would have been hard to guess – especially since they both knew a certain Slytherin's connection with the Potions Master.

Both twins later returned to their family and the other occupants of Grimmauld Place, although they managed to deflect a majority of the attention that was sent in their direction. Of course, Ron and Ginny had been eager to learn about what Snape had wanted, although both twins refused to state exactly what he had wanted to them both. Mrs. Weasley had attempted to get something out of her sons, too, but the only thing she got in reply had been a promise that neither would be put in danger nor breaking the law with what Snape had requested from them and - for the time being, at least, that seemed to satisfy her enough that Molly remained quiet.

* * *

When Snape returned to his home at Spinner's End much later that night, he knew questions awaited him. He dismissed them all with the flick of his hand, though, and instead sat back down in his chair; casting a wary glance at all three of them.

"The Dark Lord is aware of your disappearance," he informed them. Snape remained stoic as Lucius froze, Narcissa shifted in place and Draco noticeably paled. Although they were all away that Voldemort would find out about their absence soon enough, none of them expected it to be so soon. It had been merely hours since the Malfoy's packed their belongings and made their way to Snape's home, where they would be staying for the next few days – until Hogwarts started.

"That was the reason behind the attack on Diagon Alley. Although it may seem like a plan to increase fear among the public, it was indeed to specifically target you and Draco," Snape informed Lucius. "The Dark Lord is determined to have all three of you return to his side before the end of the week, and the consequences of your actions if you chose to do so will be… Severe," Snape finished, casting a glance to Draco.

"You should rest, Dragon. We have all lost sleep recently but I will not have this effect your education," Narcissa turned to Draco, motioning him up the stairs towards the two spare bedrooms the Malfoy's would occupy. Out of the two parents Narcissa was more inclined to show affection towards Draco, and had a naturally more caring nature for her son. Draco didn't put up much of a fight to his mother instructing him to do so and instead muttered a 'good night' to his father and Snape, before making his way up the stairs, closing the door.

"Have we any new information regarding the… Curse?" Lucius asked once hearing the wooden object close. He cast a Silencing Charm to make sure; however, as this was not a conversation he wanted Draco hearing. Narcissa came and sat gracefully down next to Lucius and also gave Snape her attention, a small frown etched into otherwise beautiful features.

"I have had little time to research into the matter, Lucius. The Dark Lord has sent many Death Eaters out in search of you, I included, and thus I am not able to have as much time as I would wish to study this curse." Snape started, casting them both a glance. "However, upon returning to Hogwarts I will have use the Library to find any information I can into this – although, nothing is guaranteed at this stage."

Lucius and Narcissa merely nodded, both of their expressions unreadable. Snape sighed, watching the clock tick until the time struck Midnight, a signal for them all that they should make their way to their respective rooms for the night. Draco had only taken to the stairs five minutes previously, but it appeared the remained of the occupants at Spinner's End would soon be succumbing to sleep, nightmares plaguing all of their minds.

* * *

**Author's Note:** _And there's Chapter Two! Once again, please Review and if you have any ideas, feel free to state them, too. _


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